Des Junior’s Great Big Review of 2022: Part 2 - February
A load of 1-0 home wins and a juicy top-of-the-table clash with Chesterfailed
Sunday 18 December 2022
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, and anyone else joining us today, allow me to drop this Sunday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore into your inbox. With the weather slightly warming up, we’ll get to work on our Boxing Day Crewe build-up over the next few days, but for now, please enjoy the second part of my look back at 2022. Yes, I know referring to the team from Derbyshire as Chesterfailed is extremely childish. But no, I’m not apologising.
I’m also not going to apologise for plugging our first live event of 2023. (King of the segues, ladies and gentlemen!) ‘A Curry with Colin Woodthorpe’ is taking place at Last Monsoon in Stockport on Monday 30 January at 7.30pm. The restaurant is pretty much next to the bus station, train station and motorway, so it’s a piece of piss to get to. We’ve sold 50% of the tickets already; hopefully we can shift the rest and have a cracking night with one of Gary Megson’s first County signings ahead of our first season in Division One in 1997-98. Colin stayed at Edgeley Park for all of our five seasons in the First Division, and he’s got some excellent tales to share with us.
You’ll also get poppadoms, mixed starters, curry, rice and naan bread. As well as a full colour souvenir programme. All for just £20. Fancy it? Send me a text or give me a call on 07816 111150, or you can email desmondhinks@hotmail.co.uk (If you’re looking for a last-minute stocking filler idea for the County fan in your life, by the way, this would make a perfect gift!)
Finally, today’s edition is sponsored by The Site Supply Company. A big thank you to Steve Cree. Check out hivis.net if you need any workwear or high visibility clothing, and get 10% off all orders with the code TSMFW.
Des Junior
Saturday 5: Dover Athletic (H) 1-0
Tuesday 8: Chesterfailed (H) 2-2
Saturday 12: Cheshunt (H) 1-0
Tuesday 15: Bromley (A) 3-1
Saturday 19: Woking (H) 1-0
Saturday 26: Weymouth (H) 1-0
Five? Six? SEVEN?! There were all sorts of bets and predictions knocking about ahead of the meeting between top and bottom at the start of February, as a Dover side on minus five points, a mere 30 from safety, made the long trip to Edgeley Park. The National League’s whipping boys (22 defeats in 26) played for nearly an hour with 10 men, but somehow kept County at bay for 84 minutes, before Paddy Madden eventually grabbed a late winner. Relief. Palpable.
From top against bottom to top against second. Three days later, Chesterfailed were in town for a huge top-of-the-table clash, with a crowd of 10,236 packing into Edgeley Park as the title race well and truly hotted up. The three points looked to be heading for Derbyshire, with Tshimanga and Asante putting the visitors 2-0 up, and top of the league to boot. But Jeff King’s red card just after half-time gave County a boost, and goals from Collar and Croasdale rescued a point, to keep us in pole position, although that didn’t stop Chesterfailed’s players and supporters from cracking open the champagne at the final whistle. Strange bunch.
After Miles Hippolyte’s first County goal was enough to see off Cheshunt and book our place in the FA Trophy quarter-finals, Dave Challinor’s men faced a tricky Tuesday night trip to promotion rivals Bromley. A tough test, but one passed with flying colours. It was goalless at the break, before County produced an excellent second-half display, with two goals from Paddy and one from Scott Quigley giving us a three-point lead at the top.
That three-point lead was doubled to six the following Saturday. Chesterfailed lost at home to Solihull having led 2-0, but there was still work for County to do at home to Woking, even more so after Liam Hogan was sent off in the 54th minute. Ash Palmer was the hero, heading home a Ryan Rydel corner with 18 minutes remaining.
As the month came to an end, for the fifth consecutive home game in February, a red card was brandished at Edgeley Park, this time to Mark Kitching. Fortunately, it came in the last minute, and although County had been far from convincing against a Weymouth side in the relegation zone, an own goal in the first half handed us another 1-0 win, to keep our six-point lead over Chesterfailed intact.
Next Time, on Des Junior’s Great Big Review of 2022: A 100% record in March gives us an 11-point lead at the top of the National League, although there’s an almighty scare from Wealdstone along the way.
Enjoy 10% off all orders with The Site Supply Company
To celebrate their 20th birthday, The Site Supply Company are offering The Scarf My Father Wore readers 10% off all orders until 31 December. Simply visit hivis.net and use our exclusive discount code TSMFW at checkout. For any workwear, corporate wear, high visibility clothing or PPE, The Site Supply Company have all your needs covered in one place, with their online range of 16,000 items. Not only that, but you can have your logos professionally printed and embroidered as well, with their in-house branding service.
Matt Walker ‘eats’ the World Cup
🇩🇰 No 19 - Denmark (Mikkeller Brewpub London) 🇩🇰
“The famous World Cup trophy secured a prime view in this Danish brewpub, amazingly, part owned by faded 1980s pop star Rick Astley. [Des: He was the celebrity guest when I was on Countdown!] Settled for a Mikkeller stout amidst a hearty Danish contingent.”
One of my favourite football books is Matt Walker’s Europe United, in which the author and Fulham fan spends a whole season taking in a game in all 55 UEFA countries. Well he’s back with another fun challenge, to experience Qatar 2022 in restaurants and bars across London which represent all 32 competing nations. Matt has kindly allowed me to use his photos and I’ll bring you one each day, giving you a tasty flavour of the World Cup, in more ways than one.
The only Christmas gift guide you need this year
7 sleeps to go! The Scarf My Father Wore have curated a beautiful Christmas gift guide this year, from independent businesses across the UK. Have a look at the guide if you need any last-minute stocking fillers.
Today in SK
🏆 Had Harry Kane’s (second) penalty not ended up on Mars, there’s a decent chance England might have been appearing in their first World Cup final for 56 years today. It wasn’t to be though. Instead, it’s Argentina and France kicking off at 3pm for the chance to get their hands on the famous trophy. Head down to Bask for your last World Cup fix, with the game being screened live on their 75” screens.
Bunch of fives
The last 5️⃣ World Cup finals
France 4 Croatia 2
Germany 1 Argentina 0 (after extra time)
Spain 1 Netherlands 0 (after extra time)
Italy 1 France 1 (after extra time, Italy won 5-3 on penalties)
Brazil 2 Germany 0
County’s last 5️⃣ Boxing Day games
Altrincham (H) 5-1
Altrincham (A) 1-1
Halifax (H) 5-1
Altrincham (H) 2-0
Alfreton (H) 1-0
The 5️⃣ most expensive items on the dinner menu at Stockport Travelodge
Meat Combo (£13.75)
Vegan Combo (£12.75)
Steak & Ale Pie & Mash (£11.95)
Half Roast Chicken (£11.95)
Nduja Pizza (£11.75)
Stockport photo of the day
Merseyway
Can anyone explain to me why there’s a big queue outside a shoe shop in Stockport on a Sunday morning? Have Michelle Keegan and David Dickinson teamed up to launch a limited edition flip-flop or something?